Cruelty Free, Sustainable living

Blog 8-Three Easy Vegan Milks

One question I get asked a lot as a vegan is “what do you have with you cereal??”. For starters I don’t actually eat cereal, but for those that do I think we can all agree that the options for vegan milks are huge!

The only issue I have with this is much of the time these milks come in bottles that aren’t recyclable, so have you ever thought just how easy it could be to make your own milks? They taste incredible, tend to be lower in sugar, can be tailored to your taste, cheeper and zero waste! I think thats a win, win, win, win, win?!

To start..

For all of the recipes you will need:

A blender

A nut milk bag of fine strainer

A sealable container to store the milk in

Oat milk:

Probably my preferred one and the cheapest one to make! In my local zero waste shop oats are 16p per 100g, so it’s really worth your while making this milk if you’re looking to save money and have delicious fresh milk!

Step 1. Soak the oats in a bowl of water for 20-25 mins (You can leave it longer but I found 20 mins is enough time).

Step 2. Drain the oats and rinse well, add them into a blender with the filtered water, vanilla and dates (if using) and blend until smooth.

Step 3. Strain the milk through a nut milk bag or strainer.

Step 4. (optional) Repeat step three.

Step 5. Store in a airtight container and drink within 4-5 days. Natural separation occurs with all homemade milks, so make sure you shake well before use!

Step 6. Enjoy!

Cashew (and other nut) milk:

This milk is so creamy and delicious, and doesn’t need any sweetener (I believe), but if you want to add some that’s good too! It requires slightly more planning ahead but is SO worth it!

Ingredients:

1 cup of cashew nuts (not roasted or salted)

700-730ml filtered water (depended on consistency preference)

1 teaspoon of coconut nectar (optional)

Method:

Step 1. Soak the cashew nuts in a bowl of water overnight in the fridge.

Step 2. Drain the cashews and rinse them well, add them to the blender along with the filtered water and coconut nectar (optional). Blend until smooth.

Step 3. Strain the milk through a nut milk bag or strainer.

Step 4. Store in a airtight container and consume within 3 days (Don’t forget to shake!)

Step 5. Enjoy!

Note-This recipe can be adapted to your preferred milk, including almond, hazelnut, walnut and pistachio! Why not go wild and try a mixed nut milk?! (Never attempted that but if you do let me know how it turns out!)

Rice milk:

This milk is so nutritious and is so simple to make (2 ingredients!). It does require you to cook the rice beforehand, but you could easily time it with your curry night and cook some extra rice! Just remember not to season it.

Ingredients:

1 cup of cooked rice (brown rice has more nutrients)

900ml filtered water (reduce slighty if you prefer a thicker consistency)

1-2 pitted dates (optional)

Method:

Step 1. Cook the rice, remember not to season!

Step 2. Add to the blender along with the filtered water and pitted dates (optional). Blend until smooth.

Step 3. Strain through a nut milk bag or strainer.

Step 4. Store in a airtight container and consume within 3-4 days. Remember to shake before use.

Step 5. Enjoy!

If you want to make any of these milks funner you can add raw cacao, strawberries, blue berries, banana etc. This is a really great option for children because they wont even notice its healthy!

Note-Wondering what to do with the left over pulp? these can work as a really great face and body scrub in the shower, and is easily compostable, reducing your plastic waste and your food waste!